For those who love to work or live to play outdoors, sun exposure is an inevitable part of daily life. If you’re the outdoorsy type, you’re probably already well aware of the dangers of ultraviolet radiation and the damage it can cause to your precious skin. Contrary to popular belief, protecting your body and avoiding that dreaded sunburn isn’t just about liberally coating yourself with… [read more]

The first time I ever heard someone say to make a plantain poultice, the image of mashed up banana spread across my forearm immediately popped into my head. I knew that wasn’t what he meant, but I was far more familiar with the fruit than I was with the herb at the time. For any of you who have worked with plantain (the herb) before,… [read more]

Making the decision to change your diet for the better is almost never easy. Learning how to curb cravings and say “no” to your guilty pleasures are two of the hardest parts of adopting healthy eating habits. To help you along the road to a slimmer waistline and a better body all around, here are some healthy substitutes for 10 of our all time favorite… [read more]

With summer close at hand, most of us are beginning to turn our gaze to the great outdoors in search of activities to enjoy our downtime. While there are certainly countless ways to enjoy the warm weather while it lasts, coming up with that perfect pursuit – one that satisfies the desire for fun and fits within your budget – doesn’t always come easy. Relax.… [read more]

If you’re like us and you love all things green and growing, then you probably already know just how much we owe to the tiny marvel that is the honey bee. These perpetually busy little insects truly are one of nature’s greatest gifts to humankind, not just for their honey and all of the mighty health benefits carried within it, but also for beeswax. Beeswax… [read more]

As I writer, I spend a lot of time sitting behind a desk – an activity which tops the list of ‘Causes for Bad Posture’ – and once upon a time, I had the perpetual slouch to prove it! As the years went by, the pain in my back and neck grew steadily worse. I knew I had to do something or face the reality… [read more]

There’s nothing like walking into your kitchen first thing in the morning, bleary eyed and ready for your morning cup of coffee only to find that your home has been invaded. Marching one-by-one in a seemingly endless stream, these tiny insects are one of life’s biggest pests and getting rid of them can be a huge pain. In fact, even many chemical ant killers often… [read more]

Here at Natural Living Ideas we absolutely love essential oils (as evidenced by the sheer number of EO topics we’ve covered to date!) Whether you’re looking for health benefits, uses, diffuser blends or general information on a specific oil, chances are good that you’ll find it somewhere amidst our voluminous archives. But if you’re not keen on digging through all of those dusty old posts… [read more]

If you love essential oils as much as we do, you’ve probably already noticed that some of these therapeutic wonders of nature come with an eye-opening price tag. But chances are pretty good that you’ve only scratched the surface of the world’s most expensive essential oils. The fact is, the crème de la crème of botanical distillates are so rare (and proportionately pricey!) that only… [read more]

If you’re looking for a natural solution for anti-aging skin care, there are many options to choose from. Oils like Argan, sweet almond, avocado and coconut have been at the top of the list of our favorites for a long time. In fact, every few months, it seems like we come across something new that we have to try out and inevitably add to our… [read more]